Guitars I want back!

Had a thought recently while perusing some of the members collections, wouldn't it be great to have the instruments you traded/sold/pawned/& or bashed into oblivion back?

I'm pretty new to the collecting gig (but committed) so there's not much history here, but after 4 decades of acoustic playing, I miss my first decent classical guitar. No name, but it became a part of my body & mind, lived through a fire and played with a scraping and new set of 6.

The one I REALLY wish I had back was the Martin 8 string Mandolin. It was a flat back "A" style, really nice, that a pawn shop, back in '74, gave me a pittance for.

What was I thinking!?!

d

danagos wrote:I'm pretty new to the collecting gig (but committed)...

Well you're off to a good start, most of us here should be committed!
Like you I came to this "collecting" thing kind of late in life. Ironic really, since I'm no longer performing regularly, and osteoarthritis is relentlessly stealing away the pleasure of playing. I'm a bit of a hoarder when it comes to things I consider of value whether monetarily or sentimental, so I've not really been in the position of trading away or selling anything...I still have them!

The only possible exception might be my first electric guitar (the acoustics I had as a boy were bloody awful). It was a Kay single cutaway sunburst, one pup, rather nicely but not expensively finished, with a cover plate over the bridge a la 50's Telecaster. Alas, it didn't sound like one! In my 20's I gave it away to my (then) brother in law along with a nice little Supro tube amp so that he could play along with Iron Maiden or someone.
They are now of course "collectibles".

Great topic!

Have to say, younger I had no money... or ran out of all the time. My first acoustic was a cheapo, someone sat on it. My big regret was my first Jap bass that I played for 3 or 4 years then sold for $40 when I was 15 since I had just bought a brand new one from Steve's Music store... I'm almost positif it was a Mat (neck plate) or an El Degas.
This one:



It only needed a set up but since no internet back then, no money to have it adjusted, other musicien were telling me Jap instrument were worth nothing, sold it for adjustment money for my new bass that came back almost unplayable with the highest action you can possibly have... Since I had no knowleged of set ups, I played it that way for years.... They really took advantage of young kids back then....

Happy to say with that training, I no longer need a hammer to drive in nails... just my fingers...

P.

It was my yearning for my 1985 black Westone Thunder 1A bass that I stupidly gave away in the late 90's that got me into Westone guitars again, I have bought a few Westies in the last year but have never replaced the black Thunder 1A bass.... but I have my eye on one at the moment so watch this space! I could be reunited with my long lost Bass after all. I also used and abused a 1984 Thunder 1 Bass in red which I miss too but I've yet to see one of them appear yet.. I don't suppose I'll ever truly replace them though every knock ding bash & scrape told a different story to me

Oddly enough, I don't yearn for any of the guitars that have passed through my hands - after all, I traded them in or swapped them so I must have wanted to move on.... there was the LP Recording that lasted a week in my ownership; the 58 Telecaster that I "customized" and then traded for my VA900 and the list goes on... numerous Jansens, which were about all we could get in NZ before the Japs made their presence felt; the American stuff was taxed to blazes!!

There was a Dynacord Imperator amplifier that was an absolute gem that I traded on the "next big thing" which would be nice to have back, even if just to see if it lives up to my rather rose-tinted view of it.....

And as for gear, well, like Barry, I'm a pack rat and I still have most of it!!

I had a Jackson SL-3 soloist that was sweet - should have kept that one. It played like butter and sounded like a monster.

I wish I had kept one of my pristine X390CBs as well - but that sale did solve a financial problem in a big way. It was the best playing guitar I have ever played. I still have a couple that are beat up.

I must admit, I cant say that I particularly yearn for any of my previous guitars. The only issue I have is that ALL of it has gone up in value. Bugger !

I had 1980/81 Gibson Flying Vee in Silver Sunburst, bought new from a guy in London who bought it back from the US to offset the price of his airfare. I paid £400 for it and sold it two years later for £390 to a teenager who couldn't play. He's probably a headliner now ! I now learn that it was a limited colour finish and that they are now collectors items. £2000 +? As a guitar, it was gutless in comparison to my Dimarzio shod Rob Armstrong.

I also bought a Gibson 1966 SG Junior with a P90 and vibrato for £60 and sold that two years later for £120. Actually I'd like that one back come to think of it

My biggest mistake was to sell my mint Orange Matamp, mid 70's 100 watt valve combo. Now I do cringe at that. Swapped a Ned Callan Firebird for it. It was a steal as I only paid £90 for the Callan. Sold the Orange in "82" for £120. I now gather its worth upwards of £2500. Not one of my better moments.

And why I did start this firesale? To travel around Africa for two years. Lots of fun and adrenaline but no regrets. Didn't pick up a "tar" for two years.

Good topic!

I bought my first electric from a jazz-playing friend of my dad's, it was a Burns Vista-Sonic with 3 tri-sonic pickups (as used by Brian May in the Red Special). Married it to a Wem Dominator amp with the curly leads that were all we could get in the 70s and drove my parents mad!

Kept it for a couple of years then sold it to fund my first car, a 1971 Ford Escort.

And so I yearn for my old Burns? Not really. It had been gigged and not looked after too well, so the electrics played up and the frets were shot. Being a student I couldn't afford to get it sorted. As it was my first electric I thought it was meant to play like that with frets buzzing and it was only when I played a mate's Columbus Les Paul that I realised how bad mine was.

So fond memories of the car then? No, it was bloody awful I soon learnt that FORD stands for Fill Or Repair Daily, glad to see the back of it!

I got interested in guitars again a few years later when the local music shop had a couple of Westones for sale (one was a Prestige 250, can't remember the other). But I needed a deposit on a house and then wedding bells and 2.4 children etc...

Fast forward 25 years and an invite to the London Guitar Show, picked up an electric for the first time in three decades and it's been downhill ever since

Some funny stuff in that thread, y'all had me chuckling here.

One theme that stands out is youthful inexperience in value (it IS a relative concept) and in understanding how a guitar should be set-up. Today's children have access to information we didn't. Doesn't mean they use it. I played solitaire on my first Apple computer (circa '87) and thought it a waste of time and money.

I 'member playing a gut string that nearly needed a torque wrench to chord it, thinking "I've got to toughen up my fingertips!"

Frenchy - was Pat Benatar big at the time of your photo op? hehe How DO you imbed a photo in the post?

Oh, Colt933, not that I wish you any harm, but should anything come up, I've got a "beat up" kidney & other stuff I'm willing to trade for one of those "beat up" X390CB's.

d

Frenchy - was Pat Benatar big at the time of your photo op? hehe

That picture is from 28 years ago... You could say is was the peak of Pat Benatar....(lol) I recall that she was Gothic (the girl in the pic)and if memory serves me, the Cure were big at the time...

How DO you imbed a photo in the post?

I use: http://my.imageshack.us

You can get codes of your pics to show up as thumbnails when you post on a forum...

Today's children have access to information we didn't. Doesn't mean they use it.

If I knew then what I know now!.....

P.

Thanks Frenchy, I'm sure you, as I do, would like to have those 28 years back, with a change of wardrobe and full knowledge of what's to come (I'd own a LOT of guitars)!

Just taking a flyer here on imbedding a pic of my Matts including the recent Capri/Dynasty purchase:

https://s793.photobucket.com/albums/yy213/danagos/My%20Uncle%20Mat%20Guirls/?action=view&current=MyUncleMattGuirls9-12-10008.jpg

Hope that works and thanks again for your help,

Dan

FINALLY figured it out:



I apologize for wasting valuable forum space for this test.

Feel free to berate me,

Dan

Well, if you insist....


...there... consider yourself berated!!

Back on point:

Guitar I miss most is my late 70's Onyx - Japanese wing style, solid body, neck through design, twin toaster PUPS, coil taps and other goodies. I think it was made by Yamaki (sic). Sold it for $275 to the guy I bought it from to make room for my Granada LP.

Some selection pressure comes from my better half - as she is not completely sold on the idea of an endlessly burgeoning collection. Her limit is about a dozen or so. If it were solely up to me, I'd be in Barry-land. Berrylund? The Land of Barry - eg, limitless.

Ian

anaerobe wrote:...If it were solely up to me, I'd be in Barry-land. Berrylund? The Land of Barry - eg, limitless...

Oh, if only Ian, if only...
Currently in danger of losing what's left of my manhood, along with our newly adopted male kitten. Sort of a two for one deal; I saw the wife nodding knowingly at the Vet.

The boyz are largely decorative these days, but I'm still kind of attached, ya know?

I hear you. OK, Frenchy-land then.

PS.. Danagos that's a sweet collection

anaerobe wrote: I hear you. OK, Frenchy-land then...

The poor sod is surrounded by women!
Don't know about kittens though.

Currently in danger of losing what's left of my manhood, along with our newly adopted male kitten.

I was going to lose mine along with my 2 cats but I paid off the vet .... I still got mine...

If she only knew the truth, I'd be hanging by mine...

P.

Hey Barry, your post gives new meaning to "guitar-nut"!

Thanks for the kind word Anaerobe, it seems puny though, I've seen Frenchy's! (Mat guitars)

I think one or two more Westones will help.

Dan

danagos wrote:
Oh, Colt933, not that I wish you any harm, but should anything come up, I've got a "beat up" kidney & other stuff I'm willing to trade for one of those "beat up" X390CB's.
d

How's your liver?

Colt wrote:How's your liver?

Aw man, that's cold, Icy Cold. Ya only gots one liver and without it...you know, RocknRoll Heaven.

I'm considering it, gimme a little time!

d :joker:

bowenjaybee wrote:It was my yearning for my 1985 black Westone Thunder 1A bass that I stupidly gave away in the late 90's that got me into Westone guitars again, I have bought a few Westies in the last year but have never replaced the black Thunder 1A bass.... but I have my eye on one at the moment so watch this space! I could be reunited with my long lost Bass after all.

never thought I'd be quoting one of my own posts but I have now secured a 1985 black Westone Thunder 1A bass, paid a little over what i would have liked but hey they don't come along very often in black so sod it it's only money! ....I should have it by Thursday just hope it's a good un and worth the 12 year wait... to be continued...........

Well that's a happy bit of news.

Strange as it may sound I would like my first electric guitar back which was a twin pick up, red Hofner Colorama. Just for setimental reasons I guess. I would also like my 1950s red Strat, which I bought second hand at the start of the 60s, back because it would probally be worth quit a bit now.